Who are you really saying no to?

Who are you really saying no to, when you tell some no? We all need to be careful with our willingness to say ‘no’ to a request. As we entertain angels unaware, we may also be saying ‘no’ to God unaware. The person requesting is the vehicle or instrument being used. Having faith that allows trust and obedience is its own end, not merely a means to an end. A Christian ceases to be true to their faith if s/he becomes the tool of our chosen religion like the Pharisees or Sadducees, which lives no room for grace, mercy, or the miraculous; in the words of Socrates 'to follow the argument where it leads' to find God’s truth. When we begin to align ourselves with any sectional interest that does allow not for this – God ways are not our ways. We begin to put a wedge between us and God because he is not found in what we know, what we think is easy (although it can be), or what makes sense to us. See, a Christian is characterized by the spirit of god-love we are willing to carry in our life, share with others, or willingness to ‘stand.’ The Christian is not merely to add and revise facts in traditions, rituals, or rites of passages before us in our churches of an accepted framework, but to be ever examining and modifying the framework itself; God’s word is multidimensional. Seeking God, and saying more than ‘no’ but finding the balance when to say ‘yes.’ This can only be found when we do not run from or ignore the daily battle of being so accustomed to God’s voice, we think, we do not hear Him and walk away from with our proud ‘no.’ Not knowing what we have just lost because we would not do the new thing, to get a better thing.

See it is the business of all Christians in/out of facilities, company or environment to provide and bring the atmosphere which is most conducive to faith growth. It is an atmosphere where grace and mercy abides, prevails, and extends to others as we see, feel, ‘you care’ and it is not just surface rhetoric but a touch that reaches essence…But it cannot happen when we are infatuated with our ‘no.’ We must be mindful there are some spiritual side effects when we tell God ‘no’; many of which we do not want to endure. However, the cost of disobedience and being willful because of freewill is high...Although, I know the powerhouses of the religious community and our all learned co-laborers in Christ, can be intimidating at times and sometimes may seem omnipotent from the outside looking in, but they can collapse with remarkable speed when scrutinized from a God-center perspective because they have gotten too accustom to the voice of God, they think might know. Yet, when we all walk in a covenant relationship with God positions no matter, for then likes speaks to like; Christians…Now, if we desire to live, we must desire to die to the spirit and be made whole my God words. Then, the balance we seek by saying ‘no’ or ‘yes’, we shall know, and discern between just man and God. Know total surrendering as a Christian is choice, where gain is found in giving, letting go…Mark 8:34-37 ‘And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.”For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? "For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? … (NASB)…Seasons everywhere…I feel blessings in the air, those the seeds you sown… it’s time to come into your own…Seasons...walk into your seasons…Season by Donald Lawrence…we have to sow, to reap...think about it….Who are you really saying ‘no’…

A holy makeover

A holy makeover, it teaches us ‘what not to wear’ not just on the outer parts but also on the inside parts. See ‘a God change’ we seek as Christian but we do not always respond to God’s with a teachable heart and surrendered mind. Even though, great is his mercy toward us as he provides for us, even when we do not see it. What we offer, whether we realize it or not, is a willful-know-all approach that always ends up doubling our trouble. All because we, do not want to do the things God tells us we need to do, to get what we seek; a closer relationship with Him. We have not really got it yet, in order to get a different outcome, we must come with a different approach and willing spirit; do what we have never done, to get what we have never gotten...Oswald chambers states- God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed what you know already.. Or in real talk, I will not give you more, than you can bear. We humans have a different approach, and this is the reason we do not understand God ways. We believe in piling it on, and let him/her get it all at once because it is all connected. But God does not operate like this, and neither should we. See Christ death on the cross was not more insurance for our Ticket to heaven, but a culmination of an exercise in obedience and trust in untangling us from the madness we are caught up in on earth. Showing us, in living color, how we too should follow the Father, and demonstrating how it is not always easy, without a struggle, not all friends will understand, and at the final phase you have to walk alone. So I ask you, how many of us have ever had any kind of makeover that did not require surrendering and putting ourselves in someone else hands; letting go? None, yes, no makeovers were ever done this way, if we are honest without surrendering ourselves to someone else. Why would God desire any less from us? I think not…We have to do more than hear, but put into practice and do, what is being told. For the holy makeover, we can no longer just repeat and direct others, but we must act on them, and have them work on ‘self’.
We all must go to our mount of transfiguration that befits us, in our times, in order to change and achieve the Holy makeover of God. We must be born again; heard this before I am sure. But there is a twist here, we must realize it is not quick fix, flash in the pants, once save always and do nothing to act, or a fleeting assignment without residual affects because it is not. Remember Jesus, came to save not condemn, to find and embrace the disenfranchised, and make whole the broken…This can only come to pass in our lives through transformation. Do you ever wonder why it is so are hard to do, when it comes to our savior? But the new trends, fashion, slang, or style is easy? It is short lived, and it is not lifestyle change required, thus, it is easy. Holy makeovers are not, and have an emotional, psychological, spiritual, and mental impact that baffles. No, no one wants any parts of it, just the good things that come from it. Yet, the holy makeovers as we see in the bible from the Old to the New Testament, from Moses to Paul, all had to go through to get to, and it was not easy or without struggles. God loves us so much, he sent his son to endure the greatest of the hardship to let us know, He understands. Why Holy makeovers are necessary, well with one transfiguration a world was change forever all because He obeyed and trusted. What do you think would happen, if we all did our part in the quest? Let go, let God, trust and obey; yeah you have to do both…. 2 Cor. 3:18 – ‘But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit’ (NASB)…think about it….

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me

Psalm 23:4-Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (NASB). Now many of us as both a child and an adult either heard or recited this verse when we hear Psalm 23. I wonder if we ever deconstructed or answered this question - what is a rod and staff? Well it is interesting to think about because we mature in the word, we must go deeper into the word…smiling. Rod is define in its many definitions as discipline and punishment, while among staff many definitions, it means to carried as a symbol authority or office, and use to lean on for support. Well, if you read Psalm 94:12-13 -Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD, And whom You teach out of Your law; That You may grant him relief from the days of adversity, Until a pit is dug for the wicked. Meaning God discipline us, and we are blessed for it, as we receive relief from adversity because He is the authority. Makes you stop and think a little differently about God’s hand. We forget a loving God likening unto a loving parent disciplines his children for their good, because of His love and desire for our joy. God’s discipline does not leave us bitter, only better with an improved disposition in spite of the pain and tears shed. For me, I look at the verse differently. I do see God providing the rod and staff to keep us in line as we walk on this journey for discipline and support for us, and remains the only authority to follow. See, us walking through the valley; represent us at a low point in our life. We tend to act more from an emotional driven focus or state, rather than any other time in our life. The rod and the staff keeps on the divine path, so we do not let the fear evil that comes upon us, or surround us overtake us, we do not succumb. However, we do not always appreciate the rod and staff of God in our life. We wrestle with it, we question why, and seek to find another way, as if it was, not realizing as a parent rears a child to become a responsible person so does our Father in Heaven. A person of integrity, accountability, and love, the parent seeks to instill into the child, and it never stops...smiling…Would our Father, do no less for us by providing a rod, correction, discipline, and the staff, support and a shoulder to lean on so we would we would not be afraid as we traverse this Christian journey? I think not…smiling…Having our Father present with the rod and staff allows us to do more than just repeat or apply his word to others, but also to act on them and have them work ‘self’. Without the rod and staff of God in our life, we shall surely fail as we lose sight of the righteous, the truthful, and the godliness… Your rod and staff, they comfort me…Think about it; I have and am blessed for taking this journey into learning more about God words and better understand why those simple verse are repeat so much...

Jesus Wept

‘Jesus Wept’ John 11:35; it does not matter what bible version you read or decide to use for this; it is the same statement. Now this verse is found in the resurrection story of Lazarus. Most have spoke of the tears are the result of a lost friend, or Jesus feeling the pain and suffering of his friends. Well, I will like to go in another direction with it. What if he weeps because in spite all that has transpired, what his followers have seen firsthand there are still doubts, questions about what God, the Master Designer allows to come to pass, or can do. What if His heart grieves knowing His time is short, and he will not be there forever reinforcing the same truisms and the necessity of trust and obey, in person. What if he is seeing the future of mankind in this moment, and it pains Him. Knowing our life experiences shape our perspective and guide our logic, and we limit ourselves because of random or happenstance faith walk. What if he wept because he knows, we shall struggle with this thing forever, and there is nothing He can do to help us, until we let go and yield to him.
See, we do not get it. We do not understand how our actions pain our savior. If we did, we would not fight when God says to release, let it die, time to move on, or walk away from it. Or try to breathe life into what God has cut the life support from, or try to end what he only meant to be a delay, not a defeat or no. Is it because we cannot grasp, comprehend God plans are to set us free, and his way is not our way. Is not a rhetorical statement or an old adage but an immutable fact, we ignore with our living. For us to coexist with God, we must surrender to him, and obey and trust so we are cover; no matter what. However, our impractical approach of fitting him into our order, logic, or way, limits our ability to see the miraculousness of his love and grace. However, we forget this truth about ourselves - We tend to trust those we know well, without or with very little struggle. We do not think twice about making this decision, or acting on the advice given, guidance provided, promise made, we just trust them. Even though they are fallible, maybe not always come through, we give them the benefit of the doubt, and are disappointed when they do not come through. Wow!! What a revelation or epiphany moment to have about ourselves. Nevertheless, we struggle with trusting an infallible and perfect God who always has our best interest at the core of every decision made on our behalf. God that forgives and seeks to get you back whenever, we are distant from Him. Somewhere something is wrong with this logic – don’t you think…No wonder “JESUS WEPT” so would you and I, if we were treated like this….John 11:40-41 - Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" (my emphasis) So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You heard Me. (HCSB)

The unexpected things in life that blesses

Well, I have not blog much lately. I have been sooo busy but who has not been busy. You know, the longer I live on this earth nothing surprises me more than the refreshing feeling rewarded out of the wellspring of another’s heart. You know like the sudden phone call from the friend you have not heard from but worried about; you hear smile in their voice and you are moved. The unexpected smile from a stranger that tugs at your heart and both feel it, as you walk pass one another smiling. The out of the blue’ thank-you’ for a simple gesture you did out of obligation, but someone saw as a grace. The number one thing that blesses, but is unpredictable, the hug given by another and the eyes glisten, the mind releases, and the heart overflows. No words are spoken yet love rest upon the souls and in the moment your whole day changes; a touch is all that is needed. You are lighter, you feel freer, and you know an angel has just shown up to let you know -You are not alone. God has not forgotten you. Priorities are realigned, and your perspective is adjusted to what matters as you unload your burdens of madness. You are no longer discouraged but encouraged. All this transpired in minutes that for you and the other person but it seemed like an eternity as the world stood still. There was no sensual or sexual connotation, just the feeling of knowing you are loved and it is good. The embrace is released, a smile radiants throughout your being, and you know..smiling...….Eph. 3:20-21 - Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (NASB)

And the beat goes on....

Today as I was reading my morning devotional pieces, yeah i read a group of three, whatever..lol..yeah, i need some Jesus.wink.... One of the discussions spoke about passion and learning to fail forward, not backward. At first, I was what! Then it goes on to explain failing forward is basically learning from your mistakes, and knowing making mistakes are part of moving forward. I was like, 'that is so true', but then we look at the passion thing. And i was lost for words because we seem to stall, at least i do with the fail forward because no one wants to make mistakes....who wants to look like, 'ooops, i am sorry'...we all cannot make money on mistakes, like some people (you choose the people, it is so many of them)... But you cannot move forward without it. It is part of the evolution of growth. We see it in nature, with the children learning to walk, talk, craw, etc, in nature, it is everywhere. But we smart adults stop the madness and decide, i am not going to make any mistakes because I look stupid. Well, we all are going to look stupid at one point in time whether we desire to do so or not. It is life, and we need to get over this madness...We need to find the passion because life does not stop because of a divorce or a death, broken relationship or lost job, nothing just happens but new doors and windows are waiting for you to gravitate toward them... if you are still here do not waste this precious gift of life by closing off to the process of living. You and I were left here for a reason, you nor I do not have to be here at this moment in time, for such a time as this...So, breathe the fresh air, forgive the hurt, and mourn the lost but while embracing the new chapter you have entered. So what the mistakes were made, people were hurt, some intentional and some not so intentional yet the impact is the same, and we all have been on both sides...Forgive and live...We do not get anything new without doing a new thing; DO IT!! and find your passion....leave the dead weight that is weighing you down because if it is weighing you down, you were never meant to carry it in the first place; and this includes people. Now do not get your panties in a wad, we all know people and things we carry because it is too hard to let go but we need to...and see how much freer, at peace you will see, feel, and share...living your truth is the first step, get out the figurative closet and show the world who you really are with confidence, not conceit; with humility, not haughthiness; with integrity, not insecurity, and with self assuredness, not self-absorption...and yes, the beat goes on..know you do not have to be the person the world desires, because all God desires for you, is for you to live your truth...He really is your only judge...!! Haggai 1:5 -Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! (NASB)...this are my rambling no one else, and i think we all would benefit from stopping to consider our ways...be blessed and forgive!

The rumor has it….

I find it interesting what we allow to challenge us, to scare us, to stop us, or what we choose to be unforgiving about. We all know ,we are different, and we even acknowledge it in research presented, communication we engage in, yet we stop at the full embracing of it because of fear.
We become tough negotiators with subtle concession in the framework of many non-negotiables that make it difficult to get anything accomplished. Resulting in the only outcome, we are willing to accept is one that has our desired outcome included. We do not see compromise as viable option because it might mean the other party(s) will get something. We do not want them to think they won, or got away with something. We seem to think we are the advocate for right; we have the market on right, true, and appropriate. In doing so, we fail to realize we make decision based on the following; a subconscious based on habit, our life experience, education received, and the environment exposed to during our life time. As a result, we are limited in our perspective, resulting in us not always being right. The awareness of this helps us to be open, clear, and unambiguous in our approach to others. We would then begin to seek understanding, before we seek to be understood. We would focus on being present in the moment, and not trying to tell someone what they are thinking because we have several other things on our plate. We no longer feel like someone is watching us, or respond to life from an unfounded paranoia that is self-imposed. We can have true confessions of fault and/or weakness, without believing it will use against us. And even when it is, we are not moved because we know that person is acting and/or speaking from a place of hurt. We realize this has nothing to do with you, as much as it has to do with the person and their character; something you cannot control. We can only control our choice, our response, and our behavior. More importantly, we would not see a need or desire, or fall into a habit of adding to what is to make a point because the truth would be enough. John 21:20-24 - Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?" Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You—follow me." That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you?" This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate (MSG). ..The rumor started but was not true, but it was stated not out of maliciousness but out of a subconscious based on habit, our life experience, education received, and the environment exposed to during our life time. And the fear of something new, different, out of the box statement did not fit, therefore, it was made to fit….The question we must ask ourselves – Why is this an automatic with me? Who am I trying to impress?...We need to remember God is only judge, and he is only impress with our truth, imperfections and all…smiling